With SC verdict in bag, Janardhana Reddy hits out at opponents

With the Supreme Court allowing his
firm to resume mining in the undisputed areas of Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka minister and mining magnate G Janardhana
Reddy Monday flayed political and business opponents.

Bangalore: With the Supreme Court allowing his
firm to resume mining in the undisputed areas of Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka minister and mining magnate G Janardhana
Reddy Monday flayed political and business opponents by
denouncing their "false propaganda" against him and his
brother.

"Now the truth has come out (with the Supreme Court
interim order). Now, it`s proved that we have not encroached a
single inch of land," he told reporters a day after the apex
court`s interim order.

Reddy, who is Tourism and Infrastructure Development
Minister, lashed out at "business and political rivals" for
indulging in "false propaganda" day-in-and-out branding him
and his brother and Revenue Minister Karunakara Reddy as
mining mafia by "misleading" the media.

The Supreme Court allowed the Obulapuram Mining Company
(OMC), owned by the Reddy brothers, to resume mining in the
undisputed areas in Andhra Pradesh`s Anantapur district
bordering Karnataka.

A bench, comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and
Justices Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan, said the Reddy brothers
could carry out mining 150 metres from the inter-state border
of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Reddy accused a mining player in his home district of
Bellary, whom he termed as "mines Veerappan", of being behind
the "propaganda" against him and his brother, and of funding
politicians to carry on the campaign against them.

In this context, he particularly named former prime
minister and JD-S chief H D Devegowda, Congress leader
Siddaramaiah and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu for
targetting them.

He said "jobless politicians" blamed him and his brothers
without basis and out of "sheer jealousy".

Asked if the Supreme Court`s interim order is a "slap" on
the face of Andhra Pradesh government, he said "definitely".

"All of you know that the present government of Andhra
Pradesh has illegally stopped our mining operations....," he
added.